Can opener



April 18, 1933. O DEMERS 1,903,984

CAN OPENER Filed Jan. 29, 1951 Patented Apr. 18, 1933 PATENT CAN OPENER Application'filed January 29,1931. Serial No. 512,141}

This invention relates to can openers of the type employing a stationary cutter and a toothed wheel to rotate the can after it 1s punctured. Among other objects, the lnvention aims to provide an improved eccentr c mounting for the toothed wheel whereby 1t may be utilized to engage the external head on a can so as to grip the bead against a yieldable or resilient abutment and simultaneously puncture the top and then turned to rotate the can. Another aim is to provide a relatively simple support for the rotatlng and cutting mechanism. a

Other aims and advantages of the invention will appear in the-following descript on taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a side elevation of a can opener embodying the invention;

Fig. 2 is a right end view of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a top plan view; I

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary side elevatlon, on

an enlarged scale, showing the parts in position to receive a can; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary verticalsectional view on the same scale as Fig. 4," taken through the operating shaft and showing a portion of a can. v

Referring particularly to the drawing, the

'5'?!" can opener is shown as being mounted on an elongated, horizontal supportlO in the form of a sheet metal arm adapted to be securedto a wall or table. It is conveniently secured to a vertical wall by means of flanges 11 having bayonet slots 12 to engage screws 13 in the wall. One of the flanges 11 is preferably formed by bending the inner end of the arm and the other flange is in the form of a sheet metal angle bracket secured to the arm. This bracket is also preferably bent or shaped to provide a horizontal supporting flange 14 below the arm and having a downwardly bent flange to engage the edge of a table so that the bracket may be secured to a table by one or more clamps (not shown). The idea is to adapt the arm to'be removably secured to or supported on a table or shelf when a vertical wall is not available.

Referring to Figs. 3 and, 5, the supporting plate lO is shown as being bent to provide a horizontal flange 16 at the upper edge and i a vertical flange 17 A cutting knife or blade 18 is" secured to the flange 17 by means of a screw 19'and projects downwardly through an opening 20 in the flange 16. Theopening 5 20 is preferably punched out of the flange 16 and the punched-out portion bent downwardly to provide a projection 21 contacting with the outer face of the cutter. As will be noted Price OCTAVE F: humans, or BRISTOL, CONNECTICUT in Fig. 5, the cutter is spaced from one 3 side of the supporting plate 10.

Referringto Figs. 1, 4 and 5, a disk 22 having'a reduced bearing portion 23 is journaled in an opening through the plate 10 below the cutter 21. disk conveniently by means of screws 25. A toothed feeding wheel or disk26 is carried by a shaft 27, which is journaled in and extends through an opening in the disk and through a hole in the handle 24. To the outer end of this shaft an ordinary crank handle 28 is removably connected. The arrangement is such that the disk may be partially rotated to move the eccentrically mounted A handle 24 is connected to the 65 feeding wheel either toward or away from 5 the knife and the feeding wheel is adapted to engage the lower side of the usual exter? nalbead on a can, as indicated in 5. In

Figf l, the wheel is shown as being moved downwardly ready to receive the can. When the eccentric is turned to raise the wheel and the engaged can, the pointed end of the cutter 2l punctures the can top.

In accordance with this invention, a resilient or yieldable abutment is employed to exert gripping pressure on the upper edge of a canbead. In this example, a sheet metal plate 29 is slidably mounted on the cutter sideof the support or plate 10 and presents a horizontal abutment flange 30 which extends beyond the cutter and has an opening through which the cutter projects. The plate isfurther bent to provide a vertical flange 81 engaging the outer face of the flange 17 of the support. This yieldable member is gum 9 ed to slide up and down on the plate 10 by means of a beaded pin 32 and a slot 33 at one endof the abutment plate or flange 29 While the outer end of the portion 29 is re versely bent to engage the vertical-end edge has been turned to the right and hangs vertically. Downward movement of the plate is limited by its engagement with the upper peripheral portion of the disk and by its, slid- H ing connections to the arm 10 (see Fig. 4). Turning'movemen't of the disk is limited by a pin 35 projecting from its periphery engageable with stop edges or shoulders 36 on the lower edge of the sliding plate 29.

The crank handle 28 is adapted to be turned when the can is punctured and gripped, as shown in Fig. 5, so'as to cut the entire top out of the can. As the handle is turned, it tends to rotate the disk 22 in the same direction and thus prevent the feed roller from swinging backwardly out of gripping engagement with the can bead. To prevent the can from wabbling while it is rotating, there is shown a guide member 37 bent backwardly below the feed wheel to en.- gage the side of the can.

Referring to Figs. 1 and 4, the lower edge of'the supporting arm or plate l0'is shown as being cut away at the outer end adjacent to the bent guide piece or finger 37 to provide an ordinary bottle cap opener 38. The opener is most conveniently'formed at this place because a portion of the gap is made by c rritting out and bending the guide member 3 From the foregoing description, it will be seen that the improved can opener is relatively simple and easily operated. It is strong and durable and has relatively few parts. It will open cans of all ordinary sizes. It can be manufactured at a relatively low cost. The cutter can easily be removed forv sharpening when'it becomes dull or it may be replaced. In fact, two or more'cutters may be sold with each opener so that the device will last for many years.

Obviously, the present invention is not restrictedto the particular embodiment thereof herein shown and described. Moreover, it is not indispensable that all the features of the invention be used conj ointly, since they may be employed advantageously in various combinations and sub-combina tions. a

What I claim is 1'. A can opener comprising a sheet metal arm lying in a vertical plane and having provision to be secured to a stationary support at one end; an offset verticalflange at the upper edge of the arm at the other end; a

cutter secured tothe flange and projecting downwardly at one side; an eccentrically mounted feeding wheel adjacent to the lower end of the cutter arranged to engage the lower edge of a can head and force the can upwardly to be punctured by the cutter; means for imparting eccentric movement to the wheel; a yieldable and yertically slidable spring-urged abutment between the cutter and the arm against which the upper edge of the can head is adapted'to be pressed by said wheel at the cutting point; and a crank handle for rotating the wheel after the can top is punctured.

2. A can opener comprising a sheet metal arm lying in a vertical plane and having provision to be secured to a stationary support at one end; an offset vertical flange at the upper edge of the arm at the other end; a cutter secured to the flange and projecting downwardly at one side; adisk journalled in the arm below the cutter; a handle connected to the disk a toothed feeding wheel having ashaft eccentrically journalled'in the disk and arranged to be moved up and down adjacent to thecutter upon partial rotation of said disk to grip and release a can bead; a springurgedvertically slidable flange member above the wheel between the cutter and the arm to hold the can bead in gripped engagement between it and the wheel; and a crank handle on the Wheel shaft to rotate the wheel after a can is gripped and the top is punctured by said cutter.

3. A can opener comprising, in combiriaupwardly extending verticalflange onsaid.

horizontal fl'ange; astationary cutter secured to said vertical flange and extending downward-1y below saidhorizontal flange atone side of said arm; a disk having a reduced extension journalled in said arm below said cutter; a'handle secured to said disk; a feeding wheel having a. shaft eccentrically'journalled in and extending through said disk; a crank connected to rotate said feeding wheel; a. resilient abutment member 'slid'ablyconnected to said armandihaving a flange against which the .upper edge of the can. bead is adapted to be gripped'by-said feeding wheel when said disk isturned in one direction; a stop pin. on the periphery of said disk; stop shoulders formed on said abutment member; and; a guide member on said arm below the disk adapted tobe engaged by the can to prevent it from wabbling as it is rotated by'the feeding wheeL.

4. A can opener of' the character described comprising, in combination, a sheet meta-l arm lying in a vertical plane; an offset vertical flange on saidarm; a stationary cutter removably 'securedtosaid offset arm; arotary disk handle secured to the disk; a rotatable feeding wheel eccentrically journalled in the disk and adapted to engage the lower edge of a can bead when the disk is partially rotated to force the can upwardly to be punctured by the cutter; a slidably mounted resilient, sheet metal abutment arranged to be engaged by the upper edge of the can bead; spring means to urge the abutment downwardly; guide means to limit the downward movement of said abutment; an independent crank to rotate the wheel after the bead of the can is gripped against said abutment and the top is punctured by the cutter.

5. A can opener comprising, in combination, a sheet metal arm lying in a vertical plane and having flanges on one end adapted to be secured to a stationary support; a horizontal flange formed on the opposite end at the upper edge of said arm; a vertical flange on said horizontal flange; a cutter removably secured to said vertical flange and projecting downwardly through the horizontal flange at one side of the arm; a rotary disk mounted on the cutter side of said arm; a feeding wheel eccentricaliy journalled on said disk; a handle connected to the disk to impart can gripping and releasing movements thereto; a crank connected to rotate the feeding wheel after the can is gripped; a sheet metal, resilient abutment member slidably secured to the arm and having a horizontal flange below the lower face of the horizontal flange on said arm; a sinuous leaf spring between said horizontal flanges normally urging said resilient abutment downwardly; means on said disk and abutment member to limit the rotary movement of said disk; and guide means on the arm below said disk to engage the side of a can. 3

6. A can opener comprising, in combination, a supporting frame; a vertical knife secured to the framein spaced relationship thereto; a vertically slidable spring-actuated adapted to be forced down against the top of a can bead; a bushing journaled in a hole in the frame; a toothed feeding wheel having a shaft eccentrically journaled in the bushing, the eccentricity being such that rota- 9 tion of the bushing compresses the can bead between the anvil and the feeding wheel, compressing the anvil spring, while causing the can to be punctured by the knife; handle means to rotate the bushing; and crank means to rotate the feed wheel shaft.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature.

OGTAVE FLDEMERsQ 

